A War Time Need
A Peace TimeNecessity
is Merchandise that is
Comfortable, Economi
cal Modest Efficient,
and Becoming
We have these fine features all com
bined in our Clothing for Men and
Boys.
Remember this is the store that sells
everything you have to buy, AND,
boys, everything you have to sell.
Co-operative Mercantile Company
"THE FAMILY STOKE"
WE A HI' TIIK LKAPIXG GKXKHAL STOKK FOU IXION COUNTY
REOIP1LE
Who SAVE Money
have no fear of the wolf at the door it never ap
pears. The savings just keep on growing, and grow
ing, until there is plenty of money in sight for every
thing. Why not get in that class yourself begin saving
YOUR money and keep on saving something every
day, and every week, and every year? You will be
surprised at the rapidity with which the account will
grow, for we pay interest.
, The Savings, Loan and Trust Co.
R. B. Redwine, President H. B. Clark, Cashier.
A Warning to Sick People
If you are ill you probably need medicine, prescribed by a
doctor. Nature mutt be assisted. But only pure medicines can
help nature. We carry that kind. Especially at this time, when
the war has prevented the importation of certain drugs, you
must be sure that you buy pure drugs. Our reputation cannot
be questioned in this respect.
English Drug Co.
"The Store That Alwayi Hai It"
Thone 39 Monroe, N. C
We Are Prepared
to Save You Money
on Fancy Groceries, Country Pro
duce, Meal, Oats, Corn, Mill Feed,
Sweet Feed, Dairy Feed,Cotton Seed
Meal, Hulls, Hay, Etc.
Our prices are right Phone us your orders.
BENTON'S CASH STOEE
Phone 178. The Store That
.Men's Hlue Seise Suits, tO.(H
value for $20.H
Men's Gray Seine $-"
value for $18.00
Men's Itlui k Seme Suits,
alue r.r .VVIM)
HOYS' SI ITS
Hoys' Norfolk Suils . $.5 to $15.(M
CAIN to match suits, all wool,
from "5e to $2.30
BIIIIIBBIBIiaiB
Appreciates Your Trade.
1IU
Yuletide Festival Once Marked
Return of Sun God.
Observance of Day It Habit of More
Than Twenty Centuries' Standing-.
'Yule Means Sun Commu
nity Christmas Tree.
Celebrating the 25th of December Is
a habit of more than twenty centuries'
standing. It Is a remnant of that good
nature of our early ancestors, which
has disappeared to a great extent with
the Irritating problems of civilization.
All the rest of the year, writes Fred
eric J. Haskin, we fight and grub
things away from each other and wear
our nerves to a frazzle, but at Christ
mas we close our commercial ex
changes, eat tremendous quantities of
food and send presents and postal
cards to our friends and relatives
bearing our good wishes. At least this
Is what we are supposed to do. Mauy
people do a great deal more In the
way of community Christmas trees,
visits to the hospitals and baskets for
the poor, and still others regard the
whole thing as absurd and consider al
stlnenee from Christmas pit'ts n sign
of strength of character.
Long before the birth of Christ our
ancestors in northwestern Europe cele
brated the 2Tth of December, which
marked the passing of the winter rol
stlee or the return of the sun In the
heavens after conquering the imwers
of darkness. That was the day of the
sun worshipers. The problem of the
universe was just beginning to puzzle
and our ancestors figured It out In a
straightforward manner that was not
half bad for supposed savages. All
plant life, It was observed, depended
on the sun for Its existence, and all
animal life depended on plant life, so
that the power of the sun was greatly
respected and It was personified in the
person of the god Thor. Thor was
watched with considerable Interest,
since there was always some doubt as
to whether he would survive the win
ter solstice. Hence the feast Ins and
merrymaking when he continued to
shine clear and strong In the heavens.
Meaninj of the Word "Yule."
Besides Thor there were numerous
gods who lived In the branches of
trees. Therefore the people gathered
mistletoe boughs and holly branches
and put them In conspicuous positions
In their houses, where they might
easily be seen from the outside, In the
hope that some wandering god would
take a fancy to them and take up his
residence among the red berries. In
Germany the early Huns chopped
down the evergreens and brought them
Indoors for the same purpose. The
burning of the yule log and the term
yuletide are survivals of these early
December festivals whose Influence Is
still to be seen today In our own
Christmas celebrations. "Yule" means
sun.
With the dawn of Christianity and
the conversion of the sun worshipers,
the birth of Christ was substituted as
the cause for celebration and the fes
tivities became religious demonstra
tions. The people still gormandized,
trimmed their houses with holly
branches and gave presents, but the
2fith of December usually saw them
comfortably seated In church.
So Christmas has come down to us
with all these tradltlens. The German
Santa Claus legend has Improved It
considerably for the children, and It Is
now known almost entirely as the chil
dren's season.
Community Christmas Tree.
Among the finest Christmas Institu
tions today Is the community Christ
mas tree, which originated In Madison
square, New York, five years ago and
since then has spread to communities
nil over the United Stntes. The com
munity "Tree of Light" Is usunlly
planted In a central location In the
city, trimmed with balls and orna
ments and lighted with electricity.
Citizens are organized Into committees
to collect donations for the tree and
employ bands of musicians to play
Christmas enrols and hymns. In Bal
timore last year groups of men and
boys carrying holly-trimmed lanterns
walked through the streets singing
and greeting each pedestrian with
"Merry Christmas!"
While every year there Is an Increas
ing number cf persons who decide to
"be sensible" and send cards in the
place of Christmas presents, the aver
age person hicks the courage to face
his family empty-handed on Christmas
morning. But Christmas Is a spirit,
which you either have or haven't If
you haven't It, the holidays are only
a bore; on the other hand, If you allow
yourself to become enthuslnstlc there
is really a lot of fun to be derived
from It, even though you're lonely and
away from home. Last year a travel
ing man who was compelled to spend
Christmas away from his fpmlly In a
strange city gathered a number of
little tenement waifs together, took
them Into a large restaurant and treat
ed them all to a Christmas dinner.- "I
never hod so much fun In my life,"
declared the traveling man.
The Christ-Babe.
We give the Chrlst-hnbe Ms cradle
In our hearts, and afterwards he sets
tip his cross in our hearts, end In our
hearts he plants his throne.
A Real Good Fellow.
A real good fellow Is a man who
keeps something of the Christmas spir
it all the year round.
Safety First
tUDMHHHMMHHUIlt
Don't allow children to touch the
lighted tree.
Don't remove presents from the tree
while It is lighted.
Don't leave anything highly Inflam
mable near the tree.
Don't set the tree up haphazardly.
Be sure It Is securely fastened so it
will not tip over easily.
Dou't blow a candle out The name
might be carried against a dry branch
and set fire to the whole tree.
I Don't fasten any tinsel ornament
I near any lights on the tree. If one
should Ignite the blaze would spread
all over the tree.
I Don't forget to fasten the candles
'securely to the tree if candles are
jused. Also avoid placing them ua
: der another brunch.
f ;
j Always have a wet sponge conven
ient to the tree. A candle often burns
up too quickly, and the sponge could
be used to extinguish it
Don't leave the tree until you are
6ure the lights are oil extinguished,
and never trust the work of extln-!
gulsuing the lights to children.
I
Don't light the tree after It has
stood In a warm room for three or
four days. It becomes so dry It will
burn almost us quickly as powder.
Dou't trim the tree with cotton to
represent snow. Use an asbestos prep
aration which looks like cotton. This
applies particularly to those who illu
minate their trees with candles.
Don't light the trees with anything
but electric bulbs, If possible. Where
It Is impossible to use electricity never
leave the lighted tree alone and never
allow children In the room uuless ac
companied by a grown-up person.
Don't set the tree up near uphol
stered furniture. The danger of
spurks setting It afire Is great A
piece of such furniture might smol
der for hours without being discov
eredprobably not until the family
has been in bed some time.
VALUE IS ONLY SENTIMENTAL
Mistletoe One of Most Greatly Ad
mired of Evergreen Plants But
Is Practically Worthless.
Terhops none of our evergreen
plants is more loved und admired
than the mistletoe, with its modest
yellowish-green leaves and Its clus
ters of small white berries. For cen
turies it has been considered an im
portant feature of the Christmas dec
orutlon. Yet, in regard to the real
value of the plant, the mistletoe Is
practically worthless.
It Is a small shrub comprising more
than four hundred known species,
mostly tropical and parasitic. In the
eastern and southern parts of the
United States the common mistletoe
grows on various species of decidu
ous trees. In Europe, it seems to pre
fer the apple-tree to any other host.
It sends its roots through the bark
of the tree and draws sustenance
from the sap. However, It is only a
partial parasite, for It has green
leaves which enuble It to so some
work in making food for Itself.
In some species of mistletoe the
flowers are showy, while those of
other species are more modest The
pistils and stamens do not grow with
in the same flower, or even on the
same plant, but the pistillate flowers
grow on one plant and the etamlnate
on another.
The berries contain Cat seeds, sur
rounded by a very sticky substance,
from which tlrUllme may bexmade.
This birdlime Is spread upon places
frequented by birds, to Impede their
movemeuts and render them easily
captured. In a similar way it may be
used to snare ground-squirrels and
other small anlmuls. This Is the only
practical use thut has ever been made
of the mistletoe.
The plant grows very slowly, and
"not until It is four years old does
It bear its first white, translucent ber
ries. However, It drains the vital
juices necessury to the growth of the
tree, and when many bunches find
lodgment upon the same tree, they ul
timately cause its decline and death.'
Shining Light
The Circle of Divine Love.
Christmas reverses creation. One
gave us man In the Image of God,
while the other gave us-God In the
Image of man. The two complete the
circle of divine love. That the gods
should coiue down In the likeness of
man was long recognized as a uni
versal possibility. And yet Christ
mas stands alone. It has no coun
terpart In all the recorded manifes
tations of deity. The story Is natural
when one recalls of whom It was
written. That a man like Jesus should
have entered the world by a special
door is not strange. He was different
from all others. The wine press of his
life no one could tread but himself.
That night belongs to no calendar.
The very stars wore their brightest
faces, when from before the depths
of space God drew aside his curtains
of richest blue. Jesus did not come
alone.
Y. M. C. A. Conducts
Classes While Men
Wait For Discharge
Atlanta. Oa, Dec. While- the
soldiers and sailors la the various
camps of the country are waiting to
be demobilised, they will be given aa
opportunity to Uko advantage of en
Urged education! programs which
will be operated in ail camps by the
Y. M. C. A.
In too Southeastern departaMBt,
which include the statea of Oeorgla,
Alabama, Florid, Mississippi, Louisi
ana, Tennessee, North Carolina and
South Carolina, Prof. A. M. Souby, de
partment educational director, has ad
vised, a plan to better prepare the sol
diers for civilian life when they are
discharged from the service.
Under Mr. Souby's new program of
educational activity, the number of
classes In various subjects vlU be in
creased and speakers will be exchang
ed by the different camps, all of them
Peace For Life
: Pleasure Forever.
; To over three hundred thousand homes, colleges and
churches that are now equipped with one of the world's
'greatest pianos, the wonderful celebrated KIMBALL
piano is their choice. This is one of the largest piano fac
! tories in the world. The output of this factory is more in
j one year than many smaller factories will build in fifty
' years. The KIMBALL piano is known and used the world
i over, and this factory is worth millions of dollars; and
while small factories have been forced to advance their
I prices from $75 to $150 the Kimball piano is being sold here
in your county with only $25 to $50 advance of 4 years ago
when your cotton was selling at 6c. How can this be done?
J. T. Hollaway is a factory dealer, and not an agent, and
buys in car lots. He has just received a car of fine Kimball
pianos. Have you had J. T. Hollaway or any agent of his
I ringing your door bells and worrying you at all hours for
I the past 7 years? No, No! Yet' J. T. Hollaway has sold
! over 50 cars of Pianos, Organs and Talking Machines since
i coming to Monroe, and not a dissatisfied customer, and we
do not bribe your music teacher by giving her $10 or $25
j to tell you the Kimball Piano is the best. The greatest ar-
tists in the world use the Kimball Piano, the Redpath Cha-
tauqua uses no other make. This Kimball piano will stay
in tent for years and stand the rainy weeks and have no
trouble with your keys sticking like other makes. If you
want to save money, pet catalogue and prices from
J. T. HOLLAWAY PIANO COMPANY, Monroe, N. C.
Peaces
With the return of peace a period of great pros
u JJ perity may be expected. "
JJ A connection with a strong bank is essential to
S Jthe success of every business at this time.
km
The First National Bank of Monroe
JJ with resources of ample proportions is able to take
JJ care of the needs of its depositors and invites the ac
ga counts of farmers and business men, assuring them
an absolutely satisfactory
The First National Bank of Monroe
! J. W. Laney, Cashier.
IB
D. J. E. Ashcraft, Vice-President.
pit
Guessing at the strength and purity of your
food stuffs is dangerous.
Come to the store that sells only guaranteed
PURE AND FULL STENGTH
GROCERIES.
Our stock is bought with a view to benefitting
our customers. We positively will not handle an in
ferior article of food if we know it. We use every
means to get the best,' knowing that it is the cheap
est for our customers in the long run.
V
You may place confidence in the groceries youy
buy from us. Quit guessing and know.
PARKER 6 MOORE
Luther Williams Old Stand East Franklin Street
diseusalag eaestleas af Importance to
' tV a-mn mMmmAlm tV. -
8podal historical topic will he se
lected for dlsouaaJoc, and speakers
win be bus lowed from schools and
college to apeak la the campa aad
caatocuneata,
It Is also plaaoed by 'the T. M. G.
A. to keep in touch with the mea
even after they leave the aerrlea. This
will be done by correspondence, and
will be undertaken In the cases of
Illiterates and naturalised Americana
unfamiliar with the English language.
The city Y. M. C A. secretaries will
aid in this work.
Since the signing of the armlstlee
the duties of the camp soldjers are
not so strenuous, and they naturally
have more time at their disposal. This
time will be used to advantage by at
tending the new Y. U. G. A. classes.
Prosperity
banking service.
J. H. Lee, President: 0
a
n
Guessing !
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